The cybersecurity landscape for Department of Defense contractors is evolving rapidly. As the CMMC program rolls out, organizations are wrestling with a tough question: how do we meet these demanding requirements while actually building security that works?
Here’s where Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) comes into play. It’s a complete shift from the old “castle and moat” security model to something much smarter—treating every access request as if it could be trouble, regardless of its origin. CMMC doesn’t require zero trust, but here’s the thing: the two fit together like puzzle pieces.
Consider what CMMC is truly trying to accomplish: the DoD aims to protect CUI with security controls that are robust enough to deter real adversaries, not merely check compliance boxes. ZTAs, especially those built on NIST Special Publication 800-207, give you exactly that kind of protection while setting you up for long-term success.
So the real question isn’t whether CMMC requires ZTA (it doesn’t). This article asks the question: Can you afford to ignore an approach that makes compliance easier while actually improving your security posture? Spoiler alert: you probably can’t.
